knowles



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1;

' T. KNOWLES. MBGHANISM FOR ADJUSTING TRAVELING FLATS OP GARD'ING MACHINES.

No. 428,778. Patented May 27, 1890.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. A

T. KNOWLES. MECHANISM FOR ADJUSTING TRAVELING FLATS 0F GARDING MACHINES. No. 428,778. Patented May 27, 1890.

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LQ/AMWV UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

THOMAS KNOW'LES, OF BOLTON, COUNTY OF LANCASTER, ENGLAND.

MECHANISM FOR ADJUSTING TRAVELING FLATS OF CARDlNG-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 428,778, dated May 2'7, 1890.

Application filed March 28, 1889. Serial No. 805,078. (No model.) Fatented in England May '7, 1886, No. 6,204.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, THOMAS KNOWLES, of 287 Blackburn Road, Bolton, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Adjusting Traveling Flats of Carding- Machines, (for which I have obtained Letters possible.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of so much of a carding-engine as is requisite to illustrate my invention, and Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are views showing detached portions.

In Fig. 1, 61.18 the main cylinder of the carding-engine mounted upon an axle I), supported by the pedestal c, secured to the side framing dof the carding-engine. Secured to the side framing d of the carding-engine by bolts e is a bend f. I form the outer circumference of the bend f with an inclined or spiral surface or cam g, which supports a flexible band h, of metal, formed wedge-shaped in its vertical longitudinal section. The flexible band it of metal is prevented from moving sidewise by means of brackets j, secured to the bend f. The brackets j are shown in the detached view, Fig. 2.

7c and 6 are the usual rollers around which the flats m travel. For convenience, only a few of the flats mare shown in the drawings. 7

The edge h of the flexible band it serves as a support and guide along which one end of each of the flats m travels while such flats m are being acted upon by the main cylinder a for carding. To make the band it as flexible as possible I form nicks h2 in such band h, which nicks 7L2 pass partially through the band h, and are in cases in which holes may be conveniently formed in the band h, connected with holes 72. The outer edge h of the band It is an arc of a circle having its center in the axis of the axle b. I secure the v end Jr of the flexible band It by a pin it to a screw 0, which passes through a hole formed in the bracket 1), (shown in plan in Fig. 3,) which bracket p is secured by set-screws p to the bend f. I provide the screw 0 with nuts 0 0 To the end lbs of the flexibleband h, I secure a bracket q, to which a screw 0" is jointed by a pin 5. The screw 4 passes through a hole formed in a bracket 2. (Shown in plan in Fig. 4.) The brackett is secured by setscrews 25' to the bend f. I provide the screw 0" with nuts 4- W. I form the circumference of the bend f, which constitutes the inclined surface or cam g, as a portion of a spiral formed around the axis of the axle Z), which spiral approaches the axis of the axle b at a uniform rate.

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the principle to be observed in carrying my invention into effect.

In Fig. 5, A is the axis of the main cylinder of the carding-engine, and B C D is a dotted circle which represents the circumference of the main cylinder. E F G H J is a spiral formed around the axis A, which spiral approaches the axis Aat a uniform rate. I form the inclined surface or cam g upon the circumference of the bend f (shown in Fig. 1) of a curve corresponding to that portion of the spiral which is between the points E and G. Upon the spiral E F G H J is placed the flexible band K, the edge of which nearest to the axis A coincides with the spiral E F G H J. The outer edge 1 2 of the flexible band K forms an arc of a circle the center of which is in the axis A.

If the flexible band K be moved along the spiral E F G H J, as shown by the dotted lines K, it will be found that the outer edge 1 2 will still be parallel to the circumference of the circle B O D. It will thus be seen that by forming the inclined surface or cam g upon the circumference of the bend f as a spiral, and forming the inner edge of the flexible band 71 to correspond with the curve of the inclined surface or cam g upon the circumference of the bend f, the outer edge h of the flexible band 71 may be caused to approach or reeede from the axis of the axle Z) of the main cylinder a and still be concentric with the said axis.

lVhen for any reason it is desired to adjust the flats 771 relatively to the card-surface of the main cylinder (4 of the carding-engine, the flexible band 7L is traversed along the inclined surface or cam g upon the circumference of the bend fby the nuts 0* o. If the flexible band h be traversed in the direction indicated by the arrow L, the flats on will be caused to approach the card-surface of the main cylinder a; but if the flexible band 71 be traversed in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow L the flats on will be moved away from the card-surface of the main cylinder a. To enable the flexible band 7L to be moved a considerable distance in the direction indicated by the arrow L and avoid making the screws 0 r of great length, I form a number of holes 11 i through the bend f, which holes p 1 enable the brackets 11 tto be secured upon the bend f in any position required for adjusting the flexible band 71.. "hen the flexible band 7t has been adjusted in position upon the bend f, it maybe secured in such position by means of the lock'nuts o r The carding-en gine is provided at both sides with the apparatus above described, so that both ends of each flat may be adjusted rela- 3 tively to the card-surface of the main cylinder a.

In order that the same amount of adjustment may be given to both ends of each of the flats, the flexible bands h at each side of the carding-engine must receive the same amount of motion in the same direction.

By means of the arrangements above described I am enabled to adjust the traveling flats employed in carding-engines to the main cylinders of such cardi n g-engines with greater accuracy and facility than has hitherto been possible.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is The combination, with the main cylinder and traveling flats of the cardingcngiue, of the stationary inclined or spiral cam 5 and a fixed support therefor, and the flexible band 71, adjustable on said cam and having one edge formed to correspond with said cam and the other edge of the form of an arc of a circle, the center of which is in the axis of the main cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

THOMAS KNOXVLES.

\Vitnesses:

ARTHUR E. llALL,

9 Mount SL, flhmches'lcr, England. XV. T. CHEETIIAM,

13 St. Anns S/recl, flfanchcs-lci'. 

